1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an improved toilet paper product, and more particularly to a toilet paper product having greater length and thickness than ordinary toilet paper products, allowing the user to utilize the product without pre-folding the toilet paper.
2. Description of Related Art
Sanitary tissue products, which are also referred to as bathroom tissue and toilet tissue products, generally fall within one of four categories based on their composition and structure: One to two ply products, made of either ordinary or high density paper. These products are usually produced and marketed in roll form with individual sheets of the tissue defined by perforations extending across the width of the product. The product is then wound lengthwise on a hollow core.
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Flautt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,017 is a sanitary tissue product which is a laminate formed from two dissimilar paper webs. When a web of low density, high bulk process paper is united with a web of conventional paper, a product possessing absorbency, softness, flexibility, and bulk properties similar to those of a product comprising two webs of the low density, high process paper is produced. Variations taught by the invention include the use of two paper webs having different creping characteristics to form the laminated sanitary tissue. The teachings of the invention can be extended to other products such as paper towels. Morgan, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,771 is a wet-laid composite, soft, bulky, and absorbent paper structure prepared from two or more layers of furnish which are preferably comprised of different fiber types. The layers are preferably formed from the deposition of separate streams of dilute fiber slurries, the fibers typically being relatively long softwood and relatively short hardwood fibers as used in tissue paper-making, upon one or more endless foraminous screens. The layers are subsequently combined to form a unitary web, and the layered, unitary web is de-watered by the application of fluid forces. The moist, layered web is thereafter transferred to an open mesh drying/imprinting fabric. The application of a fluid force to the web creates patterned discrete areas of fibers numbering from about 100 to about 3600 per square inch of projected surface area on the side of the web which contacts the drying/imprinting fabric. The undensified discrete areas which correspond to the mesh openings in the drying/imprinting fabric extend outwardly from the fabric side of the layered web and generally assume the form of totally-enclosed pillows, conically grouped arrays of fibers, combinations thereof or the like. Following transfer of the moist, layered paper web to the drying/imprinting fabric, the web is thermally predried to a fiber consistency of at least about 30 percent. The thermally predried, layered paper web may then be compacted in discrete areas corresponding to the knuckles of the drying/imprinting fabric to impart strength and to adhere the web of the surface of a dryer drum for final drying and/or creping. The above described layered structures exhibit significantly improved bulk, flexibility, compressibility, drape, and absorptive capacity when compared to prior art paper sheets formed by similar processing techniques from a single slurry comprised of a homogeneous mixture of similar fibers. In addition, the structures which are stratified with respect to fiber type typically yield finished paper sheets having significantly improved tactile impression and softness.
Dunning et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,001 is a process for directly forming multiple layer web, and creping such webs to provide absorbent, soft and bulky, creped tissue. The process produces a laminar fibrous formation with outer layers of strongly bonded fibers separated by an intermediate central section of weakly bonded fibers, which outer layers are creped such that the crepe in the other outer layer. The process utilizes a multiple slice inlet with different fiber stock supplied via the inlet to form the weakly bonded central layer of the fibrous formation. The base formation is subjected to two creping operations: one side of the fibrous is adhered to the surface of a dryer and creped therefrom, the once-creped web is inverted, and the other side adhered to the surface of a dryer and again creped. Therefrom, the process produces a finely creped, soft and bulky outer surface of layers of strongly bonded fibers which are capable of delamination. Each layer is sheared away from the other during the creping operations because of the weakly bonded intermediate fibrous section and the final product simulating a two ply tissue in bulk and softness while having been formed as a single ply.
Curry et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,554 is a method and apparatus for making a multi-ply paper sheet wherein a first web is formed by wet-laying fibres and a second web is formed by dry-laying fibres, and the two webs being combined to form a multi-ply sheet. The dry-laid web is produced by depositing dry fibres on a supporting band and consolidating the web by hot moist pressing before transferring to the first wet-laid web.
Nuttall et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,818 is a method and apparatus especially adapted to produce a ply separable web requiring substantially less energy input for drying. The apparatus comprises a headbox having at least three stock flow channels, the outer channels being adapted to convey conventional aqueous stock solutions, with at least one inner channel adapted to convey airborne fibers. The resulting web, having a significant portion of the fibers in a dry state, requires less energy to dry, and the distinct layers of provide shear zones therebetween which permit ply separating upon creping. Different fiber types may be provided indifferent layers depending upon product attributes desired, and the products may be conventionally dried or may be throughdried.
Pounder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,023 describes novel multi-layer paper and tissue products, which possess strength, softness and absorbency. The products comprise either at least two foam deposited paper layers, wherein the foams have different air contents therein, or foam and water deposited layers. The layers can be deposited at about identical feed pressures from a single headbox while still possessing differing tensile strength ratios. Novel processes for forming such products are also provided.
Demura et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,908 describes a bathroom tissue comprising an intermediate layer having on one side thereof a top layer, and on the other side thereof a bottom layer. The intermediate layer is comprised of about 100% wood pulp and the top and bottom layers are comprised of wood and rayon pulps mixed in a weight ratio of about 40-80:60-20. The process for producing the bathroom tissue is also disclosed.
The prior art teaches two ply toilet paper and various other paper products having multiple layers. However, the prior art does not teach a toilet paper product having 4-10 layers of tissue, allowing use of the product without folding. There is presently a great need of such a product, especially for children who have difficulty with correctly folding traditional paper. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.